Chapter 7

Muggock closed his eyes and smelled the tenderness of the girls flesh. He could hear the way her heart raced and pumped lovely red blood just beneath her skin. His tribe had been there for a week now, and were promised human flesh every night but this was the first that master delivered. Muggock was sick to death of cows. Their flesh too soft, the meat too chewy. And this girl was so young! A real delicacy to eat.

Muggock glanced up at the moon and then scanned the horizon. It was getting late, and it wouldn't be long now. If the hunters were coming, they would come soon and then perhaps Muggock will have more than tender girl flesh to eat. He could make out very little against the landscape but it did not matter. He was just the lure, he and his tribe, the real trap would flank them from behind. Master was waiting among the trees. They suspect the hunters will try to take them out from a distance. Some might die, but it will be for a higher cause. This is what master proclaimed and Muggock listened. Turning his attention back to the young girl, he smiled and waited.

"Hey guys, how's it going?" Muggock and his tribe all turned to see two med appear from behind a building and walk towards the fire. Where had they come from so quickly? Why had they not fired distant shots as planned? Before Muggock had a chance to voice these questions, one of the men pulled out a shotgun and fired it at one of Muggock's tribe. His friends head burst open like a ripe cadaver and he toppled forward lifeless. Muggock screeched and fell to his stomach. He wanted to be brave, and fight the fight that master wanted of them, but he was so scared to die. Muggock covered his head and listened as his friends were murdered. Where was master? Why did he not help them?

"That is quite enough," Muggock heard a familiar voice say and he lifted his head enough to see master enter the light of the fire. The two men turned and pointed guns at him. Master stood tall and proud before them with his teeth like razors glistening in the firelight.

"Oh I think I'm just getting started," said the one man, "seems like there are a few more scumbags looking to get executed." He had a sharp tongue.

"They are not fighting back," offered master with a gesture of his hand.

"They were going to cook an innocent girl!" shouted the taller man. Muggock blinked against the smoke that swirled near him and scuffled towards one of the buildings nearby. He wanted to bear witness to his master but did not want to get killed in the process.

"Yes, well…" master said with a shrug, "innocence is in the eye of the beholder. You see, I could say the same of you, could I not? Sam and Dean Winchester. Killing hundreds of my brothers and sisters and yet you could claim yourselves to be innocent, true?" Master circled around the two men, putting his back to the flame.

"You're…vetala," offered the taller man, "what are you doing paling around with a bunch of ghouls?"

"And where is your buddy? We know you shitheads always work in pairs," offered the other man with the sharp tongue. Muggock studied the word. Vetala. He knew master to drink blood as they all did. Human blood was the best kind. But he did not ever put a name to what the man was before. This made him seem all the more important. Muggock felt needed to protect his master, and with this sudden realization he felt a surge of purpose well up in his body. These men would try to kill his master if he did not try to stop them first. He had to take action.

"I think it is past time your hunting days are over, boys" his master said, and Muggock creeped in the shadows towards where the two men stood. "An army is gathering, you see. What you see here is just the beginning."

"Bullshit," said the sharp tongued man, and Muggock crept closer.

"What do you mean, an army?" said the taller man and Muggock crept closer.

"None of you hunters will be safe soon. Not even the Winchester boys. When the monsters unite, nothing will stand between us and total annihilation of your race." Master turned again, away from the fire, and the men followed his gaze. This put Muggock in the blind spot. Well done master! Muggock crept in for the kill.

"Why would you want to kill all the humans? What is the point to that? Don't you need humans to survive?" Asked the taller hunter.

"No, we aren't killing all the humans," smirked master, "just all the hunters." With a snarl Muggock lunged at the taller man and bit into his arm. The man howled and fell to the ground with a hard thump.

"No!" The other man snarled and pointed a revolver at Muggock but he was smart. Hide the head, live to see another day. Muggock ducked his head behind the tall man's back just as a gunshot rung through the air and sharp pain consumed him from an area on his leg. Muggock howled. It wasn't supposed to hurt! Why did this suddenly hurt? Muggock turned to see his master standing over him looking down with sadness in his eyes.

"Master…" Muggock burbled as a lick of flame crept up his throat. There was no trap. There was no glorious good to be done. Master fed all of them to the death flower just so a message could be given. The hunters will now be the hunted. And now they know. His tribe. All of the ghouls he had ever known, scattered or dead in the dust.

"Goodbye Muggock," his master whispered, and then… lights out.

Dean checked Sam's arm but the ghoul didn't seem to have bit him very deep. He wasn't bleeding which was just as well. They didn't want to send this vetala into a fit of blood lust without getting the full picture of what was going on. A massive army of monsters forming to take down all the hunters? It would explain why the ghouls were on the move and why so many had gathered here under the protection of a vetala. But why tell them all this? Why bring him here and have him hack away a few of this armies soldiers?

"So your Angel's father then? The guy who runs this farm?" Dean asked, drawing his attention back to the monster. He waged that he was able to kill five ghouls before the vetala made his appearance and now another in a sneak attack. That left two more unaccounted for and Dean's eyes tried to be everywhere at once. Sam was finding his footing and wrapped some cloth around his arm from his pack.

"She's your hunting partner then?" Dean tried again in an effort to keep the creep talking, and the tall man nodded. Dean allowed himself a little shiver. The thought of him screwing a vetala…and if he hadn't heard that angel's voice in his head.

Thanks, Cas, he thought to himself.

"I don't get it," Sam said looking around, "why lure us here just to warn us? Why the flimsy trap?" The vetala smiled and showed a row of sharp razor teeth.

"Ah that is a good question, Sam Winchester. Really, the only question that matters is it not? Well I will let you in on a little secret." The tall man, concealed in part by the firelight beside him, leaned towards them and brought slender fingers to his lips.

"You are not here just to deliver a message," he whispered in a voice like sandpaper, "You are here because it keeps you away from there."

"What are you talking about? Spit it out asshole," Dean spat, annoyed with how the monster was toying with them.

"Certain…intelligence has disclosed to us that you are in possession of a book. A valuable book that contains all sorts of information about all of our kind. I brought you here, so this book can be taken. As I am sure it already has." Dean felt a chill run down his spine. What was this vampire-wannabe talking about?

"Dean, is he referring to Dad's journal?" Sam asked, and Dean's eyes grew wide. He had to be. And if he lured him out here because he wanted that…then where was his partner? Where was Angel?

"Cas!" Dean gasped and he could feel Sam's eyes on him. The vetala smiled again and flashed his horrid teeth.

"A friend of yours, my guess? Angel spoke of him. She followed you last night, hunter. She knows your lair and already is working to retrieve the book. I am sorry for your friend if he tries to stop her. She will not let him live. " Dean swallowed hard. He knew all too well that Cas would try to stop her. It was like he didn't care that he was in danger as long as he was able to help Dean. The thought of that vetala ripping in to him in his current emotional state. Would he be able to block out the pain?

Cas….Cas! Dean could feel the panic well up inside him. He could not lose the angel now. Not after everything that had happened.

"Dean…" Sam whispered and reached for his brother but already Dean was lifting the colt and pointing at the vetala. He fired without a second thought, but the monster was too quick and darted into the shadows of the night around them.

"This isn't over," they heard him call from off in the distance, "this is far from over, Winchesters! I am only a soldier in this army, but you wait and see! Wait and see!" He might have said more but Dean hardly was listening. He had already turned to make his way back to the car. Before he even cleared the farm, he broke into a run.